I figure in my first post I'll tell you a little about myself and my family. I'm Andrea, a married mother of three lovely children. I am very fortunate to be able to stay at home while my hubby works, so I can take care of the kids. I am an independent Avon sales rep who's just starting out, and I love to read, craft, and watch tv (total guilty pleasure). In 2009, I married the man who would become my best friend. He's such a great husband and an amazingly involved father to our three kids. We've known each other for 16 or 17 years.
When I was a teen, if you were to ask me if I ever thought of myself as "mom material", you would have gotten a hearty laugh and a big resounding NO! I was always very awkward around children, perhaps because I grew up an only child and had no idea how to relate to them.
When I was 8, my aunt had her first baby. I grew to love him very much but still, I felt odd holding him, as though I'd break him or do something terribly wrong and scar him for life. Babies cried, they smelled, and they were just so darn unpredictable! As my cousins grew, they became more fun to be around, more talkative, there were no dirty diapers to change, and I didn't have to hold them. This I could deal with, this was comfortable.
I gave birth to my firstborn, a daughter, at age 23. It was one of those rare instances of getting pregnant on the birth control pill. I was scared as hell to have a baby! Those weird smelly, wriggly things that were so unpredictable, I was going to have one. I would be in charge of making sure she would have all her needs met, her wants. I would spent those sleepless nights awake while she was ill, I'd be responsible for something other than myself. Terrifying!
Fast forward to present day: I am a mother of three. I have my daughter and two sons. They are my world, my comfort, my number one priority, and my angels. Now, I can't imagine not being a mom! I'd feel so empty, as though I had no purpose. These beautiful little creatures are amazing to watch grow, to teach, and to learn from. I lost my own mother when I was 13. It's hard sometimes to know what is normal, what feelings and thoughts are "normal" as a mom. I wish so badly that they could have met her. She was a wonderful woman who would have loved on these kids as though they were her own.
My daughter is almost a teenager. She's sweet, kind-hearted, thoughtful, creative, intelligent.. I could go on really, but you get the idea. My 3 year old is amazingly full of energy! He has this wonderful spirit, he's so friendly, not shy whatsoever. He has a passion for figuring out how things work and he keeps my hubby and myself on our toes! My very soon to be 1 year old is such a mommas boy. He's so cuddly, animated, and happy. A bit of a clinger, but that's perfectly acceptable as he's my last baby. That's right, this baby-making shop is closed for business! Three seems to be the norm in my family. My Nanna had three kids, my aunt has three. I figured I might as well keep the tradition going. :)
The reason for my name is a simple one. It's not because I have a boy and a girl, for I have exceeded the quota normally associated with the term "million dollar family". I have this name because although I'm not rich monetarily, I am wealthy with the love for and of my family. For this, I am very grateful. I cherish my family with all of my being. Having lost so many members of my family of origin, I know just how important family really is.
This blog will be for my musings, reviews of products I like, possibly some ranting, and just an outlet for the myriad of thoughts and ideas that flow through this thing I call a "mommy brain".
